My parents enrolled me in golf lessons from (nearly) the moment that I learned to walk. My Dad is a pretty great golfer, and can swing with the best of on-course pros, so it was only natural that he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. While I’ve kept up with my golf game over the last decade or so, it’s hard to stay great at my driving and putting skills without heading out every weekend. And really, who has the time for that?

When I read that smart products can help do the trick – that is, staying on top of my game – I was intrigued. The more I explored, the more I found – and the more I wanted to share my findings with you. If you’re a golfer like me, get ready to be astounded at how smart products can help you improve your game, or perhaps even help you find your game again.

Ready?

Why You Need It

If you were once an avid golfer, or perhaps this is your first time picking up a club, smart products for golf are certain to help you. Golf is a great, relaxing game (if you want it to be!), so whether you’re playing with your buddies or you are out on the course solo for the day, these smart products and tips will help you.

Cost

The cost of the products I have included on this list range in price from just under $100 to a few hundred dollars. Depending on the features and functionality, these products are a small investment. The are great for both the avid and recreational golfers who are interested in heading out on the course in 2017.

Ready to find out how you can improve your golf game with smart products? Here are my four tips, with suggested products to accompany.

1. Analyze your swing like never before.

Looking at your long game is the first step in the process, so be sure to optimize your swing carefully.

The best place to start when reviewing your golf game – either making improvements or learning for the first time – is to begin with your swing. Before you can take a look at your short game, your long game is the first step in the process.

As you’re standing with your golf club in your hands, take a practice swing. Be sure to do this slowly, and dissect very part of this process. Watch to ensure that you are not lifting your head as you are bringing the club over your head. It might also help to have a friend take a video of your swing and watch it in replay.

Or, you could take a look at a smart product like the Zepp Golf 2 3D Swing Analyzer. It does all of this for you and more. With personalized training based on your data, 3D analysis of your swings and insights gathered through the associated smartphone app, the Zepp should be the first step in improving your golf game.

2. Be aware of your ball strike.

As important as your swing is, it’s also important to be aware of where you’re striking the ball.

If you’ve ever taken golf lessons, you know the how important it is to keep your head down as you’re following through your swing. Otherwise, the place in which you strike the ball could go awry. You could strike too high or too low (or maybe you’ll miss entirely, which is something we’ve all done!) So, keep your head down, keep your eye on the ball and strike right in the middle of your favorite Titleist.

The M-Tracer MT500GII Golf Swing Analyzer is a smart product that can also help improve your ball strike. In addition to tracking your club path, tempo, and attack angle, it uses a patented 9-axis system that tracks striking accuracy and Impact Zone metrics. These metrics will show you how and where you are striking the golf ball, giving you the information you need to make changes to your swing.

3. It’s all about the clubs, too.

It’s true – that driver you have endearingly called “Big Bertha” really does hit the ball further.

You know that favorite club in your bag that you just swear hits the ball further than the others? Your buddies might tell you that it’s only in your mind, but you just know otherwise.

And it is true. Really. So it’s important to keep in mind which clubs work best for you, whether it’s your Callaway or TaylorMade.

Thankfully, smart products can help monitor your shot tracking, and prove your buddies wrong, too. Products like the Game Golf Digital Shot Tracking System track your golf game in the background. It tracks your distance – how far you are hitting your ball each and every time, fairway accuracy, putts and more. It will address gaps or areas of improvement in your game and help you improve over time.

This means that, the next time you’re on the course with your buddies, you can pull out your favorite driver and definitively know that it is the best fit for you.

4. Understand the course you’re playing on.

Whether it’s a 300 yard drive or a green that is unruly, every course is different.

There was a course I played on all the time when I was a kid. It was once a course that was on the PGA Tour, and I used to watch the Pros play every single year in my home town. It’s a tough course, and it was one that I was always frustrated with as a little Junior golfer. Why? Because the greens were so difficult. Regardless of how great my drive was, it was so tough to one-putt the ball (I was very rarely successful).

That’s where smart products now come into play. Using products like the Arccos 360 Tracking System, you can truly understand the unique aspects of so many courses in the world. The Arccos 360 Tracking System provides hands-free shot mapping combined with rangefinder distances to any point on more than 40,000 courses. This means that, before heading out on the course with your friends for the day, you can do some pre-golf research. The accompanying smartphone app allows you to get in-depth on these courses.

Now, this isn’t the only thing that the Tracking System does. It records every shot a golfer makes, analyzes the data, and reveals strengths and weaknesses to enhance on-course decision-making. So it’s your very own secret caddy, too.

I love the game of golf. Ever since I was a kid, I was always excited to head out onto the course with my Dad and, as I got older, with my Coach. Though I don’t golf nearly as often anymore I still enjoy playing the game – and I enjoy it even more when I have smart products helping me along the way. Smart products on the course allow me to gain greater insight into my game, which means that I don’t need to head out every Sunday to get better. Instead, I can rely on devices like swing analyzers and the 360 tracking system to help do the trick.

Do you golf regularly? Or do you want to pick up this game in 2017? Tell us what you think about these smart products for the game of golf. Share your comments with us below or send us a tweet @Ideaing on Twitter.